Summary: Following Jesus can seem like drudgery if we don’t learn from Jesus and pattern our life after His. But by using the Kairos Circle when special moments happen in our lives, we can more fully follow Jesus and an abundant life with Him.
Big Idea: By learning how to follow Jesus, we can live a life rich with meaning and purpose
Ice-breaker question: Have you discovered that a particular experience in life was very different than what you thought it would be?
Read: Matthew 28:16-20
- Based on what Jesus said to His followers in this passage, what is the main goal of life?
- How is this goal fulfilled?
Read: John 10:7-10, 27-30
- What quality of life will those who follow Jesus have?
- What do those who follow Jesus do?
- If someone is not experiencing life to the full, what might be the problem?
Read: Mark 1:14-15
Background:
- The difference between chronos time and kairos
- Chronos time is the linear passage of time
- Kairos time is a special, perhaps, life-changing moment in time
- Jesus is saying that life in God’s kingdom is available to us now through a cycle of repenting and believing.
- Repent (metanoia) means to have a change of heart & mind
- Repentance amounts to nothing unless it is accompanied by new patterns of belief
- Believe (pistis) has a narrow & a broad meaning
- The narrow meaning is “to trust”
- The broad meaning is to take substantive action based on what we trust to be true
Read: Hebrews 11:1-2
- What does this passage say faith is?
- If you look further ahead in Hebrews 11, as the writer of Hebrews describes the faith of the ancients, does it do so in terms of personal beliefs that they held or actions that they took?
Read: James 2:14-19, 26
- What does James say about faith that does not result in deeds?
- Why is faith (belief) that does not result in faith action a dead faith?
Read: Matthew 6:25-7:2, 24-29
A Kairos Circle in the Bible:
- The Kairos Moment of Jesus’ teaching
- Kairos Moments usually cause stress & stress can lead to anxiety and worry
- Jesus addresses the situation – 6:25
- Observe – 6:26a
- Reflect – 6:26b
- Discuss – 6:27
- Plan – 6:33
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- A plan is always built around a vision
- Jesus is giving us a vision for our life where we
- Live for His Kingdom
- Truth
- Values
- growth
- Live for His righteousness
- The right relationship that God wants to give all people through Jesus
- Account – 7:1
- Act – 7:24-27
- Other examples in Scripture
- The Epileptic (Mt. 17:14-21; Mk. 9:14-29)
- Forgiving Wrongs (Mt. 18:15-20; Mt. 18:21-35)
- A Mother’s Request for Status (Mt. 20:20-28)
- The Rich Young Man (Mt. 19:16-29)
- Live for His Kingdom
- What is an example of a Kairos Moment in your life?
- How can you use the Kairos Circle in your life to learn from Jesus?
This Bible Study focuses on the same passage as the sermon on Jan 5/20 from Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, Langley BC. It is based on A Passionate Life and The Passionate Church both by Mike Breen and Walt Kallestad.
Farewell to Shadowlands 